Medallion for Egyptian Ladies

Started by WillieBoyd2, September 06, 2021, 07:42:38 PM

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WillieBoyd2

This Egyptian medallion is based on an Austria-Hungary Empire gold coin.


Egyptian Ladies Medallion
Brass, 40 mm, 10.88 gm

Obverse:
Austria-Hungary Emperor Franz Joseph facing right
MEDALLION FOR EGYPTIAN LADIES
Reverse:
Austria-Hungary Empire shield with double-headed eagle and crown
MEDALLION FOR EGYPTIAN LADIES 1913 ( 4 )

The medallions were supposedly minted in Alexandria Egypt by local jewelers in the early 20th century for sale to tourists.

Some have appeared as part of ornate necklaces or "belly dancer" costume coins.

The design of the medallion is based on the Austria-Hungary Empire 4 Ducats gold coin struck from 1872 to 1915.

The Austrian gold coin:


Austria 4 Ducats 1915
Gold, 40 mm, 13.96 gm

Obverse:
Austria-Hungary Emperor Franz Joseph facing right
FRANC.IOS.I.D.G.AVSTRIAE IMPERATOR
(Franz Joseph I, by the Grace of God, Emperor of Austria)
Reverse:
Austria-Hungary Empire shield with double-headed eagle and crown
HVNGAR.BOHEM.GAL.LOD.ILL.REX A.A. 1915 ( 4 )
(King of Hungary, Bohemia, Galicia, Lodomeria, Illyria, Archduke of Austria)

The Vienna Mint has made restrikes of these coins with the 1915 date for sale as bullion coins.

One of these coins was used as a prop coin in the 1957 Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger film "Ill Met by Moonlight" which is about a World War II German general who owns such a coin.

:)
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Figleaf

There seems to be a variant dated 1914 with legend EGYPTIAN STATUETTE OF HARPOCRATES (Hor-pa-khered = Horus). Since their English is fine and their Egyptian not better than their Austrian :), I would suggest that this is another object that came about after the Tutankhamun discovery craze, so that the item is British or American and has little or nothing to do with Egypt or any other country that uses the Arabic script.

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

Afrasi

Quote from: Figleaf on September 06, 2021, 09:41:43 PMSince their English is fine and their Egyptian not better than their Austrian :), I would suggest that this is another object that came about after the Tutankhamun discovery craze, so that the item is British or American and has little or nothing to do with Egypt or any other country that uses the Arabic script. Peter

I don't think so. These were very popular in Egypt. So they were imitated by local token makers like Saad Meawad and Riyad Abd el Malak.

Picture is from Mena S Farag.

Figleaf

Two fun pieces, Afrasi, but first, they are crudely engraved, second they are weakly struck and third, it may be the light, but they don't seem to be fanatically gold.

The original pieces were jeweller's favourites because they are large (but thin), hence the 1915 re-strikes (I remember Dutch banks still offered them in the 1960s), but the top piece looks quite un-Egyptian. Your pieces do address my argument that the legend is in latin, script, though.

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.